Sacramento got its doors blown off at home by Atlanta on Wednesday, losing the second and third quarters by 68-34, and eventually the game 133-100. It was ugly.
After the game, coach Doug Christie ripped his team’s effort, calling it “shameful,” and didn’t stop there, shredding just about everything else to do with the roster (quotes via Sean Cunningham of NBC Sacramento):
“Put on the jersey, represent it properly. These people need to come into the turnstiles and they need to be proud when they leave here about the product that they see, not f****** embarrassed. Unacceptable. Period. It is. This is a simple one, this ain’t even hard.”
Christie was livid with his starting five of Dennis Schroder, DeMar DeRozan, Russell Westbrook, Precious Achiuwa and Domantas Sabonis — a group that was -10 in 4:23 minutes together Monday. He subbed that entire lineup off the floor less than two minutes into the second half.
“They need to look at themselves and say, ‘When we’re competing at a high level, we’re playing against anybody.’ We were [within] three points or whatever it was going into the fourth with Denver. Milwaukee, you compete all the way to the end. And then you just do that? That’s wild. And that’s not anything except tying your shoes tight and saying, ‘You know what? I’m about this life and I’m going to represent properly.’”
Christie went on a full-blown rant with every question asked him (watch the video linked above, but be warned, it contains profanity). This is a Kings team that was short-handed — no Zach LaVine, no Drew Eubanks — but Christie expects more from the veterans on this team such as DeRozan, Westbrook and Sabonis.
“I would like them to lead ... We’ve got young players in there watching this. And I’m going to text every one of the young players, ‘That’s not acceptable. Do not even think about even trying to equate that that is OK. Do not do it. I will not let you do that, because that s***, it ain’t cool.’
"[The veterans] need to lead ... Listen, maybe you’ve only got 10 minutes of, ‘Man, put it down.’ Well, if that’s what you got, then that’s what you give — not floating for 30 and playing for 10. Play the game. The game is to be respected. There’s a way to play this game (and) that ain’t it.”
It’s hard to watch these Kings, which just a few seasons ago were one of the best stories in the NBA when they had De’Aaron Fox alongside Sabonis, surrounded by solid veterans (such as Harrison Barnes, Kevin Huerter, and a rookie Keegan Murray who is currently out following thumb surgery) and coached by Mike Brown. This team is now an ill-conceived roster, and it’s not well coached. That said, Christie is right about one thing — Sacramento fans deserve better. And they deserve a better effort.